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T O P I C R E V I E W

Jim_Voce

I have a question about the oxygen intake hoses of the Gemini pressure suits and how they were attached inside the spacecraft. Presumably the oxygen hoses were attached to the ejection seats inside the spacecraft rather than to the dashboard of the spacecraft.

If this is true, then in the event that the ejections seats had to be used, I presume the astronauts had to have the presence of mind of detaching their oxygen hoses after ejecting from the spacecraft so that they could physically separate themselves from the ejection seat and parachute down to earth separately from the seat.

I also presume that the astronauts were suppose to separate themselves from the ejection seat rather quickly. But if they ejected at a high altitude and they separated their oxygen hoses from the seat, then they could suffer depressurization.

So how was this oxygen system managed during ejection?

star51L

It appears in image from this page the hoses were attached to the seats.

quote:Originally posted by Jim_Voce:I presume the astronauts had to have the presence of mind of detaching their oxygen hoses... I also presume that the astronauts were suppose to separate themselves from the ejection seat rather quickly.

It was automated. The seat did it for them.

quote:But if they ejected at a high altitude and they separated their oxygen hoses from the seat, then they could suffer depressurization.

No, it would have a disconnect that would seal.

space1

The seat bucket, to which the suit hoses were attached, contained the bailout oxygen supply. The seat bucket would remain with the astronaut as the astronaut separated from the seat.

oly

I believe the system design would be very similar to standard aircraft ejection systems.

The main oxygen supply is airframe mounted and connected to the aircrew with a hose from the structure to the seat via a quick disconnect that is separated via a lanyard that pulls the airframe hose clear as the seat departs. The oxygen line is sealed to atmosphere.

The pilot remains strapped to the seat via the chute harness and breathes the emergency system oxygen mounted on the seat. There is a barostat that that keeps the pilot attached to the seat until the altitude is low enough for the pilot to breath. This barostat also keeps the main chute stowed and the drogue chute is deployed to stabilize the seat during decent.

Once this altitude is reached the barostat allows the main chute to deploy, the harness disconnect from seat and the seat falls away as the main chute deploys (at the lower, safer altitude). At this time the hose from seat to harness is pulled free via a lanyard and the pilot breaths a combination of oxygen and air (there would be a depressurization however the pilot is at a safe altitude).

The seat base holds a package containing a life raft that is pulled clear as the seat falls away. This is connected to the harness and the pilot can disconnect during decent, as this package falls it is connected via a lanyard that fires the life raft to inflate and remain connected to pilot when they splash down.

There are many variations to this sequence and barostat altitude settings and time delay vary. The Gemini familiarization manual is available online and gives a description of sequence and function.